Israel & Hamas War - Not a political thread - Reports of hundreds dead on day one - October 7, 2023 - Moving beyond to Lebanon? Sept. 17, 2024 - Now Iran too, October 1, 2024 - Syria & Russia, October 3, 2024

[sharon sanders]

Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation

BY JOSEF FEDERMAN AND ISSAM ADWAN
Updated 4:59 PM EDT, October 7, 2023

JERUSALEM (AP) — Backed by a barrage of rockets, dozens of Hamas militants broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and into nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday. A stunned Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza, with its prime minister saying the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price.”

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the Gaza border. In some places, they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response. Gunbattles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns and occupied a police station in a third.

Israeli media, citing rescue service officials, said at least 250 people were killed and 1,500 wounded, making it the deadliest attack in Israel in decades.

At least 232 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed and at least 1,700 wounded in Israeli strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Hamas fighters took an unknown number of civilians and soldiers captive into Gaza, a deeply sensitive issue for Israel, in harrowing scenes posted on social media videos.

more....

https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2

[sharon sanders]

Please - no politics. This is not a political site. News items about loss of life, injuries, are appropriate.

[sharon sanders]

Hundreds killed on both sides


Since the attacks on Israel from Gaza began on Saturday, more than 500 Israelis have been killed, local media report - a total that has risen steadily in the past 24 hours.

In the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health said 313 people had been killed by Israeli air strikes, with almost 2,000 wounded.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-middle-east-67037895

[sharon sanders]

Not a political statement but an official notice by the Israel government.

Israeli cabinet formally declares war against Hamas


From CNN's Amir Tal and Lauren Iszo
The Israeli government formally declared war on Hamas on Sunday, setting the stage for a massive response against the Islamist militant group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu already said Saturday the country was at war — but that declaration was rhetorical. Sunday’s move by the Israeli cabinet is an official decision, tantamount to a declaration of war by Congress in the United States.


more....https://www.cnn.com/webview/middleea...9cce034430b017

[sharon sanders]

This is not an endorsement of WHO but a notice of their comments on this situation.


Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

@DrTedros
We are gravely concerned by the continuing civilian loss of life and casualties in the rapidly escalating violence in #Israel and Gaza.
@WHO calls for urgent steps to: -protect and safeguard civilians, health workers and health facilities -halt the hostilities

#NotATarget
4:10 AM · Oct 8, 2023
·
115.3K
Views

[sharon sanders]

We can not verify all of the reports of deaths, injuries, from this war. There are reports that the death toll is now about 1,500.

We will not be updating this thread regularly and is only on the site because war is a known public health threat.

Please use at least two sources for your information. There are a lot of conflicting reports.

Our condolences to everyone all around the world who is suffering from conflicts/wars.

[sharon sanders]

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Travel Advisory

Travel Advisory
October 11, 2023

See Individual Summaries


Updated given the current security situation including increased travel restrictions for U.S. government employees.

Summary: Terrorist groups, lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. Terrorists and violent extremists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Violence can occur in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza without warning. There has been a marked increase in demonstrations throughout Israel, some with little or no warning.

Some areas have increased risk. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Israel and the West Bank, and Gaza.

Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

Do Not Travel To:

• Gaza due to terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict

Reconsider Travel To:

• Israel due to terrorism and civil unrest
• West Bank due to terrorism and civil unrest

If you decide to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

• Check the most recent Alerts at the Embassy website for the latest information on travel in all of these areas. 
• Maintain a high degree of situational awareness and exercise caution at all times, especially at checkpoints and other areas with a significant presence of security forces.
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Follow the instructions of security and emergency response officials.
• Beware of and report suspicious activities, including unattended items, to local police.
• Learn the location of the nearest bomb shelter or other hardened shelter. Download the Home Front Command Red Alert application for mobile devices to receive real time alerts for rocket attacks.
• Obtain comprehensive travel medical insurance that includes medical evacuation prior to travel. Most travel insurance packages do not cover mental health related illnesses/care. 
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
• Review the Country Security Report for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist

Gaza – Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict.

The U.S. government is unable to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Gaza as U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling there. Hamas, a U.S. government-designated foreign terrorist organization, controls the security infrastructure in Gaza. The security environment within Gaza and on its borders is dangerous and volatile. Sporadic mortar or rocket fire and corresponding Israeli military responses may occur at any time. During periods of unrest or armed conflict, the crossings between Gaza with Israel and Egypt may be closed.

Visit our website for Travel to High Risk Areas.

If you decide to travel to Gaza:

• Be prepared for an indefinite stay as the crossings between Gaza with Israel and Egypt can close without advance notice and for long periods during times of unrest and armed conflict.
• Have a plan for entering and departing Gaza that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.

Israel – Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest.

U.S. government employees are currently restricted from personal travel other than mission-critical travel.

The Embassy can impose even greater travel restrictions on its personnel, with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats.

West Bank – Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest.

U.S. government employees are currently restricted from personal travel other than mission-critical travel.

The Embassy can impose even greater travel restrictions on its personnel, with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats.

Visit our website for Travel to High Risk Areas.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/israel-west-bank-and-gaza-travel-advisory.html

[sharon sanders]

My bolding in 3rd paragraph.



Alert Number: I-101023-PSA
October 10, 2023


Situation in Israel

---

SUMMARY


The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are issuing this notification to advise of an ongoing issue of potential public safety concern consequent to the Hamas attacks in Israel. The FBI and DHS are actively monitoring the situation in Israel and any implications these horrific terrorist attacks pose to the domestic threat environment. As with any potential threats to the United States, we will coordinate with our partners to ensure they have the resources and information necessary to keep our communities safe.


THREAT


While we continue to collect and analyze intelligence from a variety of sources, we do not currently have specific intelligence reflecting additional attack planning against the United States stemming from the HAMAS attacks in Israel which began on October 7, 2023. However, foreign terrorist organizations and their supporters remain committed to attacking the United States within and beyond our borders. In recent years, there have been several events and incidents in the United States that were purportedly motivated, at least in part, by the conflict between Israel and HAMAS. These have included the targeting of individuals, houses of worship, and institutions associated with the Jewish and Muslim faiths with acts of physical assault, vandalism, or harassment.

Anti-Semitism permeates many violent extremist ideologies and serves as a primary driver for attacks by a diverse set of violent extremists who pose a persistent threat to Jewish communities and institutions in the United States and abroad. Foreign terrorist organizations have exploited previous conflicts between Israel and HAMAS via media outlets and online communications to call on their supporters located in the United States to conduct attacks. Some violent extremists have used times of heightened tensions to incite violence against religious minorities, targeting both Jewish and Muslim Americans.


RESOURCES


The FBI and DHS encourage the public to promptly report information concerning suspicious activity to tips.fbi.gov or contact their local FBI field office (www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices).

Call 911 to report emergencies, including imminent threats to life.

For concerns involving US citizens abroad, to include reporting missing persons or individuals taken as hostages, please call the Department of State's Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) toll-free hotline at (888) 407-4747 or complete Crisis Intake Form at https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake.

https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA231010

[sharon sanders]

Approximately.....


"......As a result of the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war, at least 1,200 Israelis have been killed, with more than 2,700 injured, while roughly 950 people in Gaza have been killed, with 5,000 injured...."

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/11/live-updates-latest-news-on-gaza-and-israel-hamas-conflict.html

[Emily]

https://abc7chicago.com/israel-gaza-hamas-how-to-help/13894566/

How aid groups are responding to the Israel-Hamas war, and where to donate

Thursday, October 12, 2023 1:02AM

[Mary Wilson]

The morgue at Gaza's biggest hospital is overflowing as Israeli attacks intensify

BY ISABEL DEBRE, SAMYA KULLAB AND MOHAMMED JAHJOUH

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The morgue at Gaza’s biggest hospital overflowed Thursday as bodies came in faster than relatives could claim them on the sixth day of Israel’s heavy aerial bombardment on the territory of 2.3 million people.

With scores of Palestinians killed each day in the Israeli onslaught after an unprecedented Hamas attack, medics in the besieged enclave said they have run out of places to put remains pulled from the latest strikes or recovered from the ruins of demolished buildings.

The morgue at Gaza City’s Shifa hospital can only handle some 30 bodies at a time, and workers had to stack corpses three high outside the walk-in cooler and put dozens more, side by side, in the parking lot. Some were placed in a tent, and others were sprawled on the cement, under the sun. ...

https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88

[Emily]

He was a peace activist with a PhD. In dying, Hayim Katsman saved 3 other lives
His grandparents were Holocaust survivors. He was murdered by Hamas on the kibbutz he loved
By Beth Harpaz October 12, 2023

...
In dying, Katsman, 32, saved three other lives: His bullet-riddled body shielded a neighbor hiding with him, and that neighbor, Avital Alajem, later saved two children.

His body “absorbed all the bullets,” Alajem told CNN. “I was saved because he was next to the door.”

The terrorists then marched Alajem to Gaza, more than a mile away, taking another family’s 4-month-old baby and 4-year-old boy with them. At some point in the terrifying ordeal, their captors abandoned them. Alajem took the children and managed to make her way back to the kibbutz.

“Hayim in Hebrew is ‘life,’” Alajem said. “That’s the meaning of his name. And he gave life to this planet as he saved me, and I was able to save two kids.”

Alajem visited with Katsman’s mother to tell her the story in person. “One of my friends said, ‘Maybe he inspired her to do what she did,’” Wacholder Katsman said.

‘Stop killing innocent people’

Katsman was involved in various peace initiatives, including Mahsom Watch, which monitors the impact of government activity on Palestinian lives.

Katsman’s sibling, Noy, an activist with Standing Together, which is a grassroots movement of Jews and Palestinians, said Katsman’s death should not be used to justify retribution.

“They always tell us if we’re going to kill enough Palestinians, it’s going to be better for us,” Noy told CNN. “But of course it never brings us peace and never brings us better lives. It just brings more and more terror, and more and more people killed like my brother.”

Noy added: “I don’t want anything to happen to people in Gaza like it happened to my brother — and I’m sure he wouldn’t want that either. That’s my call to my government: Stop killing innocent people. That’s not the way to bring us peace and security.”

Katsman “wouldn’t want innocent people to be killed,” their mother said...

https://forward.com/fast-forward/564468/hayim-katsman-university-washington-kibbutz-hamas/

[sharon sanders]

Germany issues travel warning for Israel, Palestine, Lebanon

Clare Roth
11 hours ago11 hours ago

Germany's foreign ministry issued a travel warning for countries involved in the Israel-Hamas war on Sunday.

more.... https://www.dw.com/en/germany-issues...non/a-67102330

[sharon sanders]

Approximately....


snip

Casualties: More than 1,400 Israelis have died since the Hamas assault began. Israel said 289 of its soldiers have been killed. In Gaza, officials said the Palestinian death toll has exceeded 2,300. The number of U.S. citizens killed has risen to 30, while 13 remain unaccounted for.

source: https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/isr...-gaza-conflict

[Mary Wilson]

Warning sirens are sounding in the headquarters of the Ministry of War [Defense] in Tel Aviv, forcing Netanyahu and Blinken and members of the cabinet to stop their meeting and go to the shelters



https://israelpalestine.liveuamap.co...e-headquarters